The new documentary Gone Girls shines a light on one of the most disturbing unsolved serial murder cases in recent American history: the Gilgo Beach, NY, killings. By centering the lives of the women whose remains were found along a stretch of Long Island coastline — many of them sex workers — the film not only revisits the haunting details of the crimes, but also interrogates the broader systems that failed them. In doing so, Gone Girls powerfully demonstrates the need for immunity laws, which Decriminalize Sex Work advocates for around the country, that would protect sex workers and survivors of trafficking who come forward to report abuse, exploitation, or violence.

Between 2010 and 2011, the remains of at least 11 people — mostly women who had worked in the sex trade — were discovered near Gilgo Beach. For years, law enforcement made little headway in solving the case. Many families of the victims felt their loved ones were dismissed or devalued because of their work in the sex industry.

Gone Girls effectively demonstrates that the criminalization of sex work created the very conditions in which the Gilgo Beach killer could operate undetected. The women who vanished often worked independently, met clients online, and avoided police contact at all costs. Many had previously experienced violence or threats but felt too afraid to go to authorities — fearful they’d be arrested, lose custody of their children, or have their immigration status questioned. This fear, Gone Girls shows, is not incidental — it’s built into the legal structure that governs sex work in the U.S.

Had immunity laws been in place, the outcome might have been different. Such laws could have enabled victims to report violence or suspicious encounters without the looming threat of prosecution. Other sex workers may have come forward with useful information about dangerous clients, missing colleagues, or escalating patterns of violence. Law enforcement might have acted more swiftly, with better community cooperation, rather than treating victims as disposable.

The documentary also exposes how law enforcement itself contributed to a climate of mistrust. In several cases, police were slow to investigate disappearances or dismissed concerns raised by families. It was not until the murder of Shannan Gilbert — whose frantic 911 call led to the discovery of the burial site — was investigated that attention to the area was renewed. Yet even Gilbert’s case was initially minimized, with authorities at first claiming she had drowned accidentally, despite evidence to the contrary. Gone Girls highlights these failures, emphasizing how stigmatization and criminalization impair justice.

The message is clear: laws that criminalize sex workers do not prevent harm — they perpetuate it. The Gilgo Beach case is not only a tragedy of individual lives lost, but of a system that failed to protect them because of who they were and what they did to support themselves.

Gone Girls makes a compelling case for immunity laws as a starting point in addressing this injustice. Such laws would not legalize sex work, but they would provide legal cover for sex workers and survivors of trafficking to report crimes, seek protection, and act as witnesses without risking arrest. In an environment where serial predators know their victims won’t be believed — or worse, will be punished for speaking out — that protection can mean the difference between life and death.

Gone Girls humanizes the women behind the headlines and insists their lives and their rights matter. It tells a story which exemplifies the need for legal reform rooted not in ideology, but in the basic principle that everyone has the right to safety and autonomy and deserves access to justice.

Earlier this month, DSW Staff Attorney Becca Cleary spoke on a panel at the Symposium on Policing Commercial Sex Work, held at the William S. Boyd School of Law at UNLV. The panel, titled “Policing Sex Work: Community Impact and Legal Resources,” focused on how policing practices affect sex workers and how legal and policy responses can either compound harm or promote safety.

Cleary was joined by Commissioner Tick Segerblom, Chair of the Clark County Commission; Amy Marie Merrell, Co-Executive Director of Programs & Development at The Cupcake Girls; and Emily Coombes, a Ph.D. candidate and member of the Red Umbrella Collective.

A recurring theme throughout the panel — and the symposium as a whole — was the urgent need for laws that protect sex workers from criminal liability when seeking help. Often referred to as “immunity” or “Good Samaritan” laws, these measures ensure that sex workers who are victims of or witnesses to a crime can report it without fear of arrest for prostitution. In a country where sex work remains heavily criminalized, such protections are essential for public safety and justice.

The symposium featured a wide range of discussions led by scholars, advocates, and policymakers on the harms of criminalization and the path forward. The keynote lunch featured Professor Aya Gruber and Dr. Barb Brents, who emphasized that current law enforcement practices often deter sex workers from seeking support — even from medical professionals. Dr. Brents, who has spent nearly four decades researching the sex industry, underscored the need to center sex workers’ voices in policy-making: “The best policy could be made if we listen to sex workers and include them in the process.”

The recent arrest of two rookie New York Police Department (NYPD) officers, Justin Colon and Justin McMillian, for groping and stealing from sex workers in Queens, NY, highlights the dangers of criminalizing consensual adult sex work. These officers, while responding to a prostitution call, used their authority to rob and sexually assault women in the line of duty. They even turned off their body cameras to cover their tracks, in a deliberate attempt to evade accountability. This disturbing case is a clear example of how criminalizing sex work fosters an environment where police officers can exploit their power without fear of consequences.

Law enforcement officers have inherent power and authority over civilians, and this authority can be wielded to coerce unwanted sexual contact. The International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) has recognized that policing “create[s] opportunities for sexual misconduct” because officers “have power and authority over others” and “engage with vulnerable populations who lack power and are often perceived as less credible”. The abuse of authority by Colon and McMillian is not an isolated event. Police sexual violence (PSV) is the second-most prevalent form of police violence after excessive force. There are likely exponentially more cases of PSV than have been documented because victims fear that reporting will lead to further criminalization or retribution.

The criminalization of sex work creates a dangerous environment where officers are emboldened to exploit their authority. Instead of protecting vulnerable individuals, law enforcement often targets them, using their power to extort, harass, or assault sex workers. In some cases, officers threaten to arrest sex workers unless they comply with their demands for sexual favors, knowing that the risk of criminal charges or retribution deters reporting.

Decriminalizing sex work offers a vital solution. Where sex work is treated as a private activity between consenting adults, the criminal element that allows for abuses of power is gone. Sex workers, no longer criminalized, would be able to report misconduct without fear of arrest or punishment. Additionally, law enforcement could focus on serious crimes, such as human trafficking, assault, and exploitation, while improving their relationships with marginalized communities.

The arrest of Colon and McMillian serves as a stark reminder of the systemic issues created by the criminalization of sex work. When the law treats sex workers as criminals, it opens the door to abuse, corruption, and violence within police departments. Decriminalizing sex work is a necessary step toward protecting vulnerable individuals, reducing police misconduct, and ensuring that law enforcement operates with integrity and accountability. It’s not just about safeguarding sex workers — it’s about creating a fair, just, and safe law enforcement system for everyone.

Read our comprehensive fact sheet on effective PSV laws here.

DSW staff has been busy testifying on sex work related bills around the Northeast. Staff Attorney Rebecca Cleary and Chief Advocacy Coordinator Henri Bynx testified before the Rhode Island Senate Judiciary Committee in support of S810, which would fully decriminalize consensual adult sex work in the state. Following impassioned testimony from both supporters and opponents, the bill was held for further study.

Rebecca Cleary was in New Hampshire twice in April to testify against two dangerous bills. SB267 would increase penalties for clients of sex workers, including jail time. HB405, which initially proposed a study commission to address concerns in the state around human trafficking was amended to immediately increase criminalization around sex work. In response to residents’ concerns around the number of massage parlors in the state where human trafficking or sex work may be taking place, the bill would criminalize anyone who knowingly allows prostitution to take place in a location they “control.”

Rather than addressing the underlying issues of exploitation, these measures create additional barriers to safety, resources, and legal protection for sex workers. These bills contribute to a broader pattern of conflating consensual adult sex work with human trafficking, ultimately misdirecting law enforcement resources. Instead of addressing actual cases of exploitation, these measures fail to improve the safety or well-being of sex workers and push sex work further underground, making it more difficult for workers to access support, services, or protections. Despite compelling testimony from Cleary and other advocates for sex worker rights, the bills continue to make their way through the New Hampshire General Assembly.